Sentry Page Protection

Teamwork Station 3


With the NHS budget deficit, the NHS has decided to reduce the number of medical specialities. Of the options below, discuss and agree upon one medical field which you believe should be preserved.
 
Cardiology
Anaesthetics
Neurology
General Practice
General Surgery
The teamwork/collaboration stations are less about finding the perfect candidate, and more about excluding unsuitable candidates.
 
Unsuitable Candidates:
  • Overwhelm others with their opinions and ideas and are reluctant to listen/consider the ideas of others
  • Offer little/no input to team decisions
  • Are dishonest/unethical.
  • Breach patient confidentiality
 
How to succeed in the teamwork station
  1. Refer to colleagues by their name – At the start of the session, take a minute to remember each (or as many as possible) of your colleagues names. Referring to your colleague by their preferred name will not only build rapport and respect, but will also demonstrate a professional approach to examiners and interviewers.
  2. Demonstrate ‘active listening’ – The best candidates will not only offer good suggestions, but will also acknowledge suitable input from others eg. ‘That’s a really good point Simon and I can see that working very well, especially if……’
  3. Think before you speak – It is common for students to feel pressure to offer input and thus speak before considering what they are suggesting. Before offering input, ask yourself ‘Will this point add to what has already been said?’ and ‘Would I approve if another student mentioned this point? If the answer to either question is no, take a deep breath…and think of your next point
  4. Remember you are in an interview – In contrast to other interview stations, the interviewers often take a back seat in these stations in an attempt to offer candidates a false sense of relaxation. It is essential that you do not lower your guard and act in a way that you would not deem suitable for a medical student or medical professional. Interviewers are often paying closer attention to verbal and non-verbal behaviour in these stations than they are in one-to-one MMI settings.
  5. Avoid confrontation – However much you disagree with a point made by a colleague, it is essential to avoid confrontation in the team interview task. You are welcome to offer opposing input, however ensure that you avoid raising your voice or aggressive posturing as this will reflect badly on you.